Portable communication devices powered from rechargeable batty packs utilize chargers for charging and recharging the batteries. A single portable communication device may accommodate battery packs of varying thicknesses with the variation in thickness typically being based on battery capacity or chemistry. A drop-in charger can accommodate a battery pack alone or a battery pack coupled to a portable communication device. However, accommodating the complete battery powered portable communication device presents additional design challenges for both single-unit and multi-unit chargers. Alignment and retention issues can make designing the charger interface difficult.
Accessories and attachment cords present yet another problem to the charger interface environment. Accessories typically have to be removed when a battery powered portable communication device is being charged. Accessory cords and the accessories themselves tend to get tangled up in a multi-unit charger environment. Users can become frustrated when attempting to withdraw their own communication device from a multi-unit charger.
Even in the single-unit charger environment, maintaining more than one single-unit charger in a common workspace can be problematic in terms of clutter and organization. In some cases, it is not feasible or advantageous for a consumer to purchase a multi-unit charging system that typically charges six or more radios.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a charger device which provides an improved user interface for a battery powered portable communication device.
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention.